Letters of Appreciation

Families, loved ones, and friends, thank you so much for entrusting us with your loved one. I cannot begin to express my gratitude for learning from donors in the anatomy section of my course. I am blown away by your generosity, kindness, selflessness, and thoughtfulness. My knowledge and compassion have grown tremendously through this experience, and I will carry these experiences with me for the rest of my life. Saying thank you does not feel like enough but I will say it again to convey my deep gratitude and appreciation. Sincerely, Allie (First Year Duke OTD Student)

Dear families and friends of donors, words cannot begin to express the gratitude that I feel for the educational gift your loved one selflessly gave me. These beloved donors are our first patients. From them, I have learned respect, sacrifice, and the sanctity of life. Your loved one will live on through the impact they have had on me, my education, and all of the people I will serve as a physician. With deepest gratitude, Emily (OTD Student)

Dear loved ones of our donor, I cannot even begin to thank you for your gift. From the story and background that you all gave us about your loved one, we know that they were loved and appreciated. It is truly an honor to have this privilege and we will try our best to honor their memory and pass on their generosity to our future patients. Best, Duke Medical Student

To the loved ones of our donors, I will never be able to express how grateful I am to have been able to learn from your loved one. This was such a selfless gift and act that I will never forget. Our donor has provided me with the knowledge and lessons that I will carry with me far beyond the classroom. Not just me, but hundreds of health care providers have been enriched by our “silent teachers” in the study of anatomy and what it means to be altruistic and generous. Know that you and your loved one’s gift have profoundly, positively impacted an entire generation of health care providers- and those effects can’t be understated and will influence others within our scope. Thank you so much, I am endlessly grateful. Warmly and sincerely, Julie, Duke OTD '27

Dear Donor Family, thank you for the great gift you granted us! We were able to learn so much and will be even better physicians for our communities because of them. Best, Lia (First Year Medical Student)

Dearest Families, I have the honor of co-teaching two courses in which students learn from donors. When I was an OT student, I had a few experiences of this nature, rather than the weeks of learning from the silent teachers like the Duke OTD Students have. When I first started teaching the course working with the donors, I had been practicing OT for 16 years and was still providing occupational therapy services to children with complex medical needs in their homes. Even though the donors are adults, I was struck by how the new way of teaching and learning with the silent teachers enhanced my practice with children and families. Their gift helped me support students, clients, and families in profound ways, as well as develop a deeper sense of my own spirituality. Words cannot express my gratitude for the gift you and your family member. This opportunity allowed me to look within and share what I learn with those that I serve. With gratitude, Duke OTD Teaching Faculty

Dear Donor Family, I wanted to write to thank you for the immense privilege of having gotten to know your loved one as one of the best mentors I could have asked for as a medical student. Being able to learn anatomy, the basis of the treatment of disease or alleviation of human suffering in such an up close and personal way, is a once in a lifetime opportunity and one that I will hold in my heart for the rest of my life. I cannot thank you enough for sharing the presence and memory of your loved one with me. Your generosity and contribution are traits I hope to emulate, and to pay back, in the future. Sincerely, an MS1

To the families of donors, there is incredible power and courage in your loved one’s decision. We express our gratitude and may these thoughts bring joy and warmth in times of need. We honor your loved one and you. And we will do so by supporting communities and being the best therapist, we can be. Receive this letter as a kind hug that will last for as long as our careers and beyond. Thank you, Duke OTD Student 2027

Dear loved ones of our generous donors, it feels impossible to express my overwhelming gratitude for all I was able to learn from our “silent teachers”. Their selfless donation inspires my continued learning. This experience will undoubtedly make me a better, more well-rounded occupational therapist. I will continue to honor their legacy by delivering the highest quality of care, utilizing all that they taught me. With endless gratitude, Sydney OTD Class of 2027

Dear families, though my words can never truly express the depth of my gratitude- to you and your loved one- I am going to try my best. This gift of donation allowed me to learn and grow so much as a future physician, but perhaps more so as a human. More than the incredible abilities of the human body, I learned so much about the human spirit. Every day, I thought of the generosity of your loved one and how, in a way, they were one of my first patients and the most powerful silent mentor. It is so amazing how someone can impact the people around them so deeply- even after their death. It was a privilege to be part of this journey and I cannot thank you enough. Still, thank you. I wish you and your loved ones all the best. Sincerely, a grateful Medical Student.

Dear loved ones, friends, and families, thank you so much for affording me the gift of learning. My academic journey and experience were greatly enhanced by learning from my silent teachers. Many years from now, I will look back and reflect on the formative years of my occupational therapist journey and will always feel deep gratitude for my Silent Teacher. Best, Duke OTD, Class of 2027

• Dear friends and family, thank you so much for the gift of donation and this experience. Your loved ones meant so much to us and taught us as our “silent teachers”. I admire their generosity, kindness, and courage for helping us prepare for taking care of our patients. This experience made me even more motivated to do what I love. The donors have had a major impact on me, and I am so grateful for you! Sincerely, Kenna (Occupational Therapy) Student class of 2027

To the family of an Anatomical Gifts Donor: I truly want to thank you and your family member. The gift they gave to me and my peers is unique and rare, and it was a service that I can only attempt to continue to repay every day of my career. The experience I had was certainly not easy, linear, or straightforward, because it was so unlike anything I ever had- or ever will do again, and the emotion was strong. But underlying every day, was both a deep desire to learn and most importantly, a gratitude for the person who made the choice to donate their physical body so that we may learn. I know their spirit is whole and hopefully at peace, and I just want to say thank you. Their gift lives on in us and in you! Katelyn

Dear family, friends and loved ones, there are not enough words in the world to describe how much I appreciate the opportunity to learn from your loved one’s selfless gift. I have been able to learn more from them than I ever will form any textbook or diagram. This was a chance to treat someone with the same care that I will with my future clients. Having this experience was very enlightening and was not taken lightly. Each moment was given the highest respect. I will be forever grateful for this opportunity. And will carry these memories with me through each interaction I have with my future patients. Together we will have positive impacts on many people! Thank you for your love and support. Warm regards, Amanda OTD '27

Families, loved ones, and friends, words do not fully express my gratitude for the educational opportunity provided through this program. Our lives and educations are made fuller because of your loved one’s generosity to be our “silent teachers”. The gift of education is one of the most powerful legacies to leave behind. Thank you for allowing us to learn from them. With love and light, Christina. Duke OTD, c/o 2027

Dear family and friends, thank you so much for supporting your loved one’s wish to generously donate their body. Their brave, kind, and selfless gift has touched each and every student. Your loved one has been a foundational part of both our education, as well as our journey to becoming caring and passionate physicians. Thank you for the role you and your family have played in shaping the next generation of doctors. We will be forever grateful! – An MS1

Dear loved ones, family, and friends, there isn’t enough time in a lifetime to truly express the gratitude we have for the learning experiences we had due to your donor. I will dedicate my time in this program as well as my career, to show up as my best self just to display my appreciation of the opportunity you gave me. I want to honor your silent teacher by representing the gift of knowledge they gave me, through my actions and interactions with others. You will live on in my actions and how I carry myself. Thanks again, Joshua

Thank you, thank you, thank you, I cannot express it enough. The opportunity to learn from a donor was truly life changing for me and for my classmates as well. I learned so much from getting to study human anatomy so deeply. The knowledge and perspective I gained is something I will strive to apply for the rest of my career. But what’s more, I believe this opportunity challenged me to think and feel intensely about the gift of human life and what it means to be a physician and to come alongside patients and families in their worst moments, what it means to dedicate my life to uphold the presence and sanctity of others. That is not something one can learn from a model or virtual teaching. Thank you for entrusting your loved ones to us. I’ll make sure their gift keeps on giving for the rest of my career. MS1